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Litter Box Setup for Success

Not sure how to set-up a bunny-friendly litter box? Learn the basics, below, and help your bunny on his way to successful litter box training.

Plastic Cat PanBasic plastic cat litter pans work best for bunny's litter box. They come in sizes small, medium, large, and giant, and can be found at stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Kmart, for a nominal price. We recommend sticking to the medium, large, or giant litter pans for most bunnies, unless your bunny is very tiny. However, you can't go wrong with a larger litter box that your bunny can grow into. Choosing the size of pan to buy, will depend on the size of your bunny.

Medium cat pan, for small bunnies under 4 pounds.

Large cat pan, for medium bunnies under 10 pounds.

Giant cat pan, for large bunnies over 10 pounds, or bonded pairs.

If you have a pair of bunnies sharing the same litter box, you'll want to get one very large box, or give the bunnies multiple boxes to keep them well supplied with hay and fresh litter.

Setting-up the Litter BoxWe recommend using CareFresh and fresh hay to prepare your bunny's litter box. CareFresh is a bunny-safe pet bedding that does not contain any pine or cedar products, and is also environmentally friendly. Fresh hay in the box entices bunny to jump in and do his "business."

A clean box with about 1 inch of clean CareFresh covering the bottom.

Next, add a BIG handful of hay. Here, we've spread some grass hay over the CareFresh, then added a nice bunch of oat hay at the "kitchen" end of the box, giving bunny a combination of oat and grass hay to nibble.

About 12 hours later, here's a well-used box. You can see that bunny has created a "bathroom" end and a "kitchen" end (the end with remaining clean hay).

Keep a Fresh BoxChange bunny's box frequently, to ensure a clean, fresh box. This will prevent bunny from heading to cleaner places to eliminate. If your bunny does not soil his box completely within a 24-hour period, simply add another large handful of hay to the "kitchen" end, to replenish his supply. But never go for more than two days before giving bunny a fresh litter box.

Once dirty, dump the entire contents of the box into your "yard waste" container or regular trash, to dispose. (If you're a gardener, bunny's litter box waste makes great compost!) Wash the box, and if urine build-up occurs, pour in some plain white vinegar to soak it clean. Rinse, wipe dry, then add new CareFresh and hay.

CareFresh and freshly boxed hay can be easily purchased throughout San Diego County.

Bunnies Enjoy Their Litter BoxesOnce introduced and used to being given fresh hay in a clean box, your bunny will grow to love it! He will nibble hay nearly 24 hours a day - important for good bunny digestion - and may even burrow under it searching for the most choice bits.

This bunny loves to burrow under her hay!

Two companion bunnies sharing their litter box.

Finally, it's important to remember to use bunny-safe litters in your bunny's box. Clay, or clumping litters for cats can be dangerous to bunnies who may ingest some of their litter while eating hay. Pine, cedar, or other aromatic wood shavings may also be harmful to bunny's health. Sticking with a simple, paper-based, recyclable litter provides bunny with a safe litter and one that's also environmentally friendly.

If, after setting up your bunny's litter box in this manner, you still have some problems with bunny using his box, try some of our litter box training tips. You can also email us at care@sandiegorabbits.org.